CODI vs KKR vs BX vs ARES vs CGBD

For growth investors, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is the stronger pick with 66.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -11. 0% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR). Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD) offers the better valuation at 7. 5x trailing P/E (8. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR) a "Buy" — based on 26 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc.

(CGBD) is the cheapest at 7. 5x versus Ares Management Corporation at 62. 8x. On forward P/E, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. wins at 0. 89x versus Ares Management Corporation's 1. 15x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) delivered a total return of +160.

2%, compared to -35. 5% for Compass Diversified (CODI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARES returned +929. 6% versus CGBD's +47. 8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc.

(CGBD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 61β versus KKR & Co. Inc. 's 1. 70β — meaning KKR is approximately 177% more volatile than CGBD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Blackstone Inc. (BX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 61% versus 3% for Compass Diversified — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is pulling ahead at 66.

6% versus -11. 0% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Blackstone Inc. grew EPS 7. 2% year-over-year, compared to -1426. 1% for Compass Diversified. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc.

(CGBD) is the more profitable company, earning 53. 0% net margin versus -12. 2% for Compass Diversified — meaning it keeps 53. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CGBD leads at 54. 7% versus 2. 3% for CODI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BX leads at 86. 0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 89x versus Ares Management Corporation's 1. 15x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD) trades at 8. 1x forward P/E versus 150. 4x for Compass Diversified — 142. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ARES: 44. 0% to $177. 38.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Ares Management Corporation (ARES) offers the highest yield at 6. 6%, versus 0. 2% for Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (6.

6% yield, +929. 6% 10Y return). Blackstone Inc. (BX) carries a higher beta of 1. 53 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ARES: +929. 6%, BX: +476. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (CODI (Industrials) and KKR (Financial Services) and BX (Financial Services) and ARES (Financial Services) and CGBD (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: CODI is a small-cap income-oriented stock; KKR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; BX is a mid-cap high-growth stock; ARES is a mid-cap high-growth stock; CGBD is a small-cap deep-value stock. CODI, KKR, BX, ARES pay a dividend while CGBD does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.